The week in business: 7 April
New parent company for Corialis, Zuidnatie to build distribution centre for Cargill and an overview of the rest of the week's company news
Energy – Eneco
Aluminium – Corialis
The producer of aluminium profiles for the building industry, based in Lokeren, East Flanders, has been acquired by America’s CVC Capital Partners investment fund for €1 billion from Boston’s Advent International. Corialis employs 1,900 workers worldwide and is a European leader in the production of verandas, doors and window frames.
Plastics – Solvay
The Brussels-based plastics and chemical group has sold its reticular polyolefin activities to Italy’s Finproject.
Insurance – Generali
The local affiliate of the Italian insurance group has been put up for sale by its parent company as part of a restructuring of its European activities. Generali Belgium collected €670 million in insurance premiums last year.
Property – Devimo
The Brussels-based property group, which operates nearly 30 shopping centres and retail parks in Belgium, France and The Netherlands, has been acquired by Antwerp’s Hugo Ceusters brokerage company from AG Real Estate.
Logistics – Cargill
The US-based food and agricultural products group has signed an agreement with Antwerp’s Zuidnatie to build a 300,000-tonne barley and malt shipment and storage facility in the port of Antwerp. The new distribution centre is expected to open in August 2018.
Chemicals – Ecochem
The producer of flame retardant chemicals, based in Olen, Antwerp province, is investing €11 million in its Willebroek facility, in the same province, to transfer production from its operations in Germany, France and Israel. The move will create 50 new jobs at the plant.
